Senator Terry Leyden: "That Seanad Éireann opposes the closure of the Rosalie unit in Castlerea, County Roscommon, which cares for psychiatric patients including those with Alzheimer's and dementia."
I ask the Deputy Leader to provide time for a debate today, otherwise, with my colleagues, we intend to move the motion for debate. The situation is that the matter has been raised by people like Councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice, Councillor Orla Leyden, Councillor Nigel Dineen and other councillors. Others involved include Dr. Greg Kelly and Dr. Charles Byrne, who is the chief psychiatrist in County Roscommon. He has expressed his concerns in today's local newspapers. He is a consultant psychiatrist and he has strongly criticised the plans to close the Rosalie unit at Áras Naomh Caolinn in Castlerea.
An Cathaoirleach: We are not having a debate on that.
Senator Terry Leyden: He has called for the decision to be reversed. What is happening down there is absolutely elder abuse. The 25 patients are being thrown to the wind without any concern whatsoever just because the HSE wants to cut costs. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is absolutely not carrying out her duties.
I am calling on Senator Kelly to use his influence in the Labour parliamentary party to reverse this decision, which is against the interests of patients in County Roscommon. We are going to continue to move this issue in this House. We are going to get a situation where there will be a vote in this House. We will call on Senator Kelly to vote against the closure of the Rosalie unit in Castlerea, County Roscommon, rather than being on radio talking about this. Deputies Frank Feighan and Denis Naughten and all the other Deputies have no influence. I want them all involved on this issue to ensure we have no further downgrading of medical services in County Roscommon.
Link to Debate:
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/seanad2015061100002?opendocument&highlight=Rosalie
I ask the Deputy Leader to provide time for a debate today, otherwise, with my colleagues, we intend to move the motion for debate. The situation is that the matter has been raised by people like Councillor Paschal Fitzmaurice, Councillor Orla Leyden, Councillor Nigel Dineen and other councillors. Others involved include Dr. Greg Kelly and Dr. Charles Byrne, who is the chief psychiatrist in County Roscommon. He has expressed his concerns in today's local newspapers. He is a consultant psychiatrist and he has strongly criticised the plans to close the Rosalie unit at Áras Naomh Caolinn in Castlerea.
An Cathaoirleach: We are not having a debate on that.
Senator Terry Leyden: He has called for the decision to be reversed. What is happening down there is absolutely elder abuse. The 25 patients are being thrown to the wind without any concern whatsoever just because the HSE wants to cut costs. The Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, is absolutely not carrying out her duties.
I am calling on Senator Kelly to use his influence in the Labour parliamentary party to reverse this decision, which is against the interests of patients in County Roscommon. We are going to continue to move this issue in this House. We are going to get a situation where there will be a vote in this House. We will call on Senator Kelly to vote against the closure of the Rosalie unit in Castlerea, County Roscommon, rather than being on radio talking about this. Deputies Frank Feighan and Denis Naughten and all the other Deputies have no influence. I want them all involved on this issue to ensure we have no further downgrading of medical services in County Roscommon.
Link to Debate:
http://oireachtasdebates.oireachtas.ie/debates%20authoring/DebatesWebPack.nsf/takes/seanad2015061100002?opendocument&highlight=Rosalie
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